Just Observing
by nox06
Summary: One-Shot. Muggle AU. Ginny Weasley is bored at work and Draco Malfoy is an over-confident git. Nothing out of the usual, really.


Ginny Weasley sighed, tossing her flaming red hair over shoulder as she boredly stared out the ceiling-to-floor windows of the shop. It was beautiful Saturday in the middle of June, and she was stuck inside for the entirety of it. For the upteenth time that day, although she'd never admit it, the stray thought of regret for taking that shift crossed her mind.

Normally, she loved her job. A high-end jewellry store called Something Silver that had accesories that were envied even by celebrities? Why wouldn't she love it? Not only was the pay pretty damn great, but her manager and fellow employees were all extremely positive and gorgeous in their own way. They certainly fit the idea of being glamorous.

Another pro for her job was that she got a discount on all the merchandise, so instead of saving up for a year in order to buy something, it only took her about nine months.

Honestly though, all of her jokes aside, Ginny truly did love her job. The entire wall across from her desk was made up of windows and a glass door so she spent her shifts people watching the multitude of characters shopping in the plaza. A notebook was filled with notes on the interesting people she saw from day-to-day.

At the moment, she was jotting down notes about a tall and very handsome man with white-blond hair and an angular face. Her very first note just happened to be;

He's a bloody model

Her warm brown eyes trailed after him as he stopped his long strides to pull out an expensive looking smartphone, mindlessly tapping the screen. He lifted it to his ear, surveying the people around him with indifferent distaste. Ginny scribbled another note on her paper.

Entitled and snobbish

The blonde man seemed to steadily grow more frustrated as he chatted with the person he had called. He tossed his head back in what seemed to be a scoff, and pulled his phone away from his ear, probably ignoring a lecture. He once again watched his surroundings, glaring at loud teenagers, ignoring gossiping mothers, and studying the shops around him. Dazzlingly grey eyes lazily drew over the storefronts as he replaced his phone, catching the last bit of the ignored monologue and replying. Ginny wrote down a few more observations.

seems to be constantly bored

rather careless about others

most beautiful eyes in the world universe

Once again, the man had stopped paying attention to whoever it was he was on the phone with. His eyes were slowly trailing over the shops again. It seemed to take forever for him to see Something Silver. At the very least, it seemed like that to Ginny.

Cold grey eyes met warm brown ones through the crowds of people. Ginny's eyes widened ever-so-slightly as a smirk grew over the face of the man. He held her gaze as he said a few more words on the phone before finally becoming more drawn into his conversation. The man nodded in her direction, and the ginger blushed furiously. She ducked her head back down and pretended to be completely occupied by work, while really only doodling next to her notes about the man.

When Ginny finally felt brave enough to look back up, she didn't see the man. She sat up a little straighter, and carefully studied the shoppers, scanning for the white-blonde hair that should have stood out like a beacon. Although she'd never admit it, Ginny pouted at losing sight of the beautiful man. With a sigh, she flipped the page of her notebook and started to survey the crowd for a new victim.

Or she was about to, until the bell chimed and someone stepped into Something Silver.

Ginny groaned internally. She had been hoping to get through the day without having to deal with any annoying customers. "Welcome to Something Silver, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Just observing, thanks."

The voice was posh and masculine, but Ginny didn't bother to glance up as she jotted down more notes about other people she saw, although maybe none as interesting as the man from before. There was a comfortable silence in the store as the customer looked around. That is, until a scoff from the customer cut through the air.

"I don't care, Blaise. I refuse to make a deal with that company."

Ginny didn't know what 'Blaise' had said, but she could tell it only made his business partner more irritated.

"So?" A scoff. "Yes, I know the Nott company is a very big deal. But you've seemed to forgotten that our company is even more powerful." So Ginny was right, Blaise was a business partner with her customer. A heavy sigh spilled from the stranger's lips. "I don't have time for this Blaise. I'll argue with you later."

Colorful expletives were muttered, and, entertained, Ginny finally glanced up at her customer. Her jaw nearly hit the floor when she did.

There, in all of his glory, stood the attractive man she had been observing out the windows of the shop. His back was turned to her, but she could still tell that it was him. His white-blond hair was a bit of a dead giveaway. It was slightly messed up, probably from running an agitated hand through it while on the phone with Blaise. In all honesty though, that simply made his hair even more attractive. Even from where she sat, Ginny could tell that his fitted suit was expensive and that the man must be loaded to the gills.

She was drawn out of her awe when the man suddenly turned on his heel to face her, his steel gaze meeting her chocolate one dead on. Ginny blushed once again as the man smirked, quite proud to have found her staring.

"Hello there."

"H-Hi."

Ginny cursed internally for stuttering.

The man crossed the shop in a few easy strides. He leant on the counter with such perfect nonchalance, Ginny figured it had to have been practiced.

"You're eyes are brown, are they not?"

Ginny made a mental note to add to the ever-growing list in her notebook: to the point.

"Uh, yes. Why?"

The man effectively ignored her words, once again going to a wall of necklaces, studying each piece closely. Ginny watched, quickly becoming more confused. She was just about to ask what the bloody hell he was on about, asking about her eyes, when he returned, once again leaning on the counter.

"I'd like to see your most expensive piece."

"I- you what?"

"Your most expensive piece. I'd like to see it. Preferably an emerald one. Perhaps a necklace?"

Her response came out as more of a question than a statement. "Uh, sure?"

"If you could bring out some options, that'd be lovely."

Ginny blinked at the man, before slipping down from her seat. She walked into the back in a bit of trance. The man meanwhile seemed perfectly content to wait. A few minutes later, Ginny returned with three necklace cases.

"Here you are, sir."

"Lovely."

The man then meticulously studied each necklace one by one, before having all three cases open and comparing them. Every now and then, he'd glance up at Ginny with one of his now annoyingly attractive smirks, which did nothing but throw her off even more. Honestly, what did this stranger think he was doing? Waltzing in here like he owned the place, ignoring her as he chatted with Blaise, then asking about her eyes and expensive jewelry? Not only that, but his constant smirking! If Ginny didn't know any better, she'd say the expression was stuck to his face. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't quite sure she didn't-

Her train of thought was cut off when the man suddenly slammed two cases shut and stood up straight. Ginny, startled, looked up at him with wide eyes. What she saw took her breath away.

He was smiling. Not smirking, but smiling, and it was even more alluring, and magnificent, and stunning than his smirk. In fact, Ginny was certain that seeing him smile had knocked the breath out of her. Plus, his elegant fringe had fallen out of place from the suddenness of his movements. Seeing as the man was quite obviously a rich, conniving, business man, Ginny expected it to look wrong, but instead it made him even more beautiful, if that was at all possible. Which, apparently, it was.

"This one."

Ginny cleared her throat and mentally shook her head.

"Sorry?"

"I'd like to buy this one."

He pushed the open case towards her and Ginny glanced down at it. She had to admit it that the man had impeccable taste. It was a rather simple piece compared to the unattractive, bulky pieces that most woman loved. A teardrop emerald hung from a sliver chain, and that was it. Although it frustrated her to no end, Ginny was very jealous of the woman who the man must have bought it for. She was extremely lucky. It was exquisite without being gaudy, just like Ginny prefered. Not that her tastes had anything to do with a sale.

"Of course," Ginny said. She rang it up quickly, unnerved by how the man never seemed to stop staring at her. "That'll be $20,000"

"Right." The man pulled a wallet from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, and tossed his credit card onto the counter. Ginny finished her tasks quickly, her blush growing as the man continued to stare, his smile shrinking back to an overconfident smirk.

"Is that all?" Ginny asked handing him his purchase.

"That's all."

And yet, the man didn't leave.

"Right. Well. Goodbye, then."

Ginny turned around, ready to go to the backroom of Something Silver until she was absolutely positive the frustratingly gorgeous man was gone. She had just opened the door, head ducked in hopes that her long red hair covered the blush that was spread all across her face when the man called for her to come back.

"What?" she asked tensely. She hoped the man would catch the hint and leave. Although she was sure her boss wouldn't be happy with that, seeing as she had just made an excellent sale, Ginny wanted the white-blond gone. She was sick with dealing with his cocky attitude, and his nonchalance, and his damn smirking!

"I'd like to give you something for putting up with me. I'm sure it can be extremely frustrating dealing with annoying and rude customers all day. And I know it had to have had irked you when I was on the phone. I become very… irritated while talking with Blaise. Plus the topic of conversation just made it worse. Theodore Nott is a very annoying man, and his company is even more so."

Ginny deflated, blinking at the man in embarrassment. "Oh, um, you really don't have to," she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"I insist."

"Um, alright then."

The man grinned again, and Ginny blinked rapidly in order to stay focused. "Here you are, then!"

Ginny was amused by his childish excitement for her to open his gift. She chuckled slightly and glanced down at just what he had placed into her hands.

"This- this is the necklace you just bought."

"Why yes, yes it is."

"I-I can't accept this!"

"Of course you can. I wouldn't have bought it if I wasn't planning on giving it to an attractive woman."

"Look, it's a really nice offer and I'd love to accept, because the necklace is truly stunning, but I don't even know your name."

"Draco Malfoy. There. Now you can accept it."

"Mr. Malfoy, really, I-"

"Draco."

"What?"

"Call me Draco."

"Fine then. Draco. While I appreciate the sentiment, I can't accept this. It's too large a gift!"

Draco huffed, pouting in a way that didn't seem like pouting at all. "Honestly, woman, why the bloody hell not?"

"Well, we barely know each other for one thing."

"Of course we do!"

"Oh really? What's my name?"

"Well, it's-. Your name is, um, Scarlet."

"My name is Ginny."

"Close enough."

"Not really."

"Look, please," Draco once again met Ginny's eyes. "The only reason I got that necklace is because I thought it complimented your eyes. If you don't accept my gift, I don't know what I'll do with it. So, really, you'd be doing me a favor by taking it."

"Nice try. I'm still not accepting an expensive gift from a stranger."

"Is that why you won't take it? Because it's a bit pricey?"

"A bit pricey?! It cost $20,000!"

"So?"

"So?!"

"Look, love-"

"Don't call me that."

"Fine, Red-"

"Honestly, I just told you my name. The least you could do it actually use it."

"Ginny!" Draco grabbed her hands, meeting her gaze directly. "How about this? You accept the bloody necklace and wear it on our date tonight while we get to know each other."

Ginny blanched. "Our date tonight?"

"Isn't a first date the way most men and women get to know each other?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then I don't see why we can't do the same."

Ginny was still trying to think of a reply when Draco was halfway out the door. "I don't know when or where to meet you!"

Draco didn't spare a single glance back as he called out to her, "Look inside the case!"

Rolling her eyes, Ginny opened the case to see a piece paper resting on the necklace. The redheaded girl picked it up see a location and a time scrawled on it in perfect cursive. Her eyes widened and she nearly dropped Draco's gift to her.

"The bloody bastard was planning it the whole time."

Later, although she'd never admit it, Ginny Weasley was quite glad that Draco Malfoy was an overconfident git who had smirked in triumph when she had slipped into the booth across from him, the necklace sparkling where it rested.

fin.


End file.
